Flushing mechanism for water closets



March 5, 1957 A. w. STURMAN FLUSHING MECHANISM FOR WATER CLOSETS Filed Aug. 15, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l :5 :2 If: u

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INYENTOR Hare/v JrURMAM ATTORNEY! March 5, 1957 A. w. STURMAN FLUSHING MECHANISM FOR WATER CLOSETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 13, 1953 FIZZ I5 INVENTOR QL'ro Ml. Jruermnr OAALW d- ATTORNEYJ United States Patent FLUSHIN G MECHANISM FOR WATER CLOSETS Alton W. Sturman, St. Paul, Minn.

Application August 13, 1953, Serial No. 374,055

6 Claims. (Cl. 4-43) Thi invention relates to improvements in siphonic flushing mechanisms for water closets.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide an improved flushing mechanism of this general nature so constructed and arranged that the usual troublesome ball valve is completely eliminated and so that flushing action may be initiated by a comparatively extremely small amount of water supplied to the siphon tube under control of a simple, manually and floatactuated control valve. I find by actual demonstration that it is possible in the flushing mechanism of my invention to initiate the siphonic action by the use of less than a quart of water for entraining and ejecting a suflicient amount of the air trapped in the siphon and further find that the siphon will operate satisfactorily on static heads of water from as little as one foot to two-hundred feet or more. The initiation of the flushing action by this very small quantity of water, and the successful operation with widely varying static heads, is, of course, extremely desirable since in many cases the load upon city water systems is such that the available water pressure is greatly reduced from normal.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved siphonic flushing mechanism which is operated in conjunction with a water seal loacted between the inlet of the siphon and the usual apertures around the rim of the bowl which seal I find play an extremely important part in the successful operation of the system. As a related object I further provide an improved trap and an improved siphon construction, per se, such that the siphon inhibiting air trapped in the upper part of the siphon is very readily discharged and is of very low initial volume both of which factors contribute materially to the initiation of the siphon action with a minimum amount of starting water.

As a further object of my invention I provide means whereby the siphoning action may be interrupted at any time during its progress, in an emergency, under the control of the usual valve operating handle which is back rotated, or rotated in opposite to normal direction, in order to open a check valve and re-admit air into the siphon air chamber whenever required or desired.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view and side elevational view of a water closet according to my invention.

2,783,475 Patented Mar. 5, 1957 Fig. 6 is an elevation of a modified form of siphon tube and water seal with a portion of the tank bottom shown in section.

The present application is a continuation-impart from my copending application Serial No. 302,547, filed August 4, 1952, now Patent No. 2,700,163, for Water Closet Flushing Mechanism to which attention is invited for comparative purposes.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to the drawings, I have chosen for the illustration of what may be regarded as a preferred embodiment of my invention a Water closet made up of the usual stool, designated generally at 10, having a bowl 11 with a hollow rim 12 and an outlet 13. According to my invention a seal 14-- is formed in-theupper rear part of the stool and it is important to note that this seal includes a discharge lip or dam 15 which makes a water seal between the water line in the tank and the usual flushing apertures 16 in the rim 12. In addition to the seal 14 thus formed there is, of course, the customary intake and trap system 17 in the lower portion of the bowl 11. The operation of this type of bowl is, of course, well known and needs no further description herein.

Also forming part of the water closet is a tank 18 and as here shown the same is illustrated as seated upon the upper rear part of the stool 10', this also being a well known and modern type of arrangement, but it is to be understood that the tank may as we'll be wall mounted. The tank 18, of course, contains a level of flushing water, as indicated in Fig. 2 at 19, and water is supplied to the tank from the water system by means of a supply pipe 20 extending upwardly through the tank bottom 21 to a point above the aforesaid water level 19. Mounted upon the upper end of the supply pipe 20 is a rotary valve, designated generally at 22, the construction and operation of which is very similar to the corresponding valve of my prior application. Since the present invention relates entirely to the flushing mechanism or system it is sufiicient to note that the valve 22 includes-a rotor which is turned in one direction by means of the usual handle 23 and back-rotated by the usual float 24' in order first to initiate the flushing action and then, as the same is completed, to refill the tank and shutoff the flow of refill water when the same returns to the level 19. For this purpose the valve 22 ha two separate outlets 25 and 26 from which there lead pipes 27 and 28, with the latter as usual extending downward to a point adjacent the tank bottom 21. This is, of course, the refill pipe which is opened at the proper time'for refilling the tank andthe flow through which is closed off as the float 24 ascends toward the top of the tank. The operation of the valve 22 by the handle 23 causes the valve 22 to connect the pipes :20 and 27 and the water thus issuing from the pipe 27 is led to the top of a siphon structure, designated generally at 29, which will nextv be described.

The siphon includes an upright outlet tube 30 extending from the bottom of the tank up to the water level 19 and, as shown inFig. 2, also extending downwardly Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a still further enlarged detail sectional view of the check valve and the means by which the same is operated for halting the siphoning action.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the system as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of Fig. 1 but showing a modification.

through an opening 31 in the tank bottom wherein the tube is firmly afiixed by any suitable means. The discharge or outlet end 32 of the tube 3t) is thus brought down into the seal 14 and it will be notedthat the bottom 33 of the seal is provided with a substantially conical or upwardly pointed and outwardly, downwardly radially flaring surface 34 located immediately adjacent the outlet 1 32 and centered with respect thereto. This siphon structure is completed by a relatively larger coaxially mounted inlet tube 35 seated down over the tube 30 and having an open lower end 36 which is held a short distance above the tank bottom 21. For the latter purpose radial fins 37 may be provided upon the tube 39 or the tank bottom to center and hold the tube. 35 in the proper position. The upper end of the inlet tube 35 is closed and is also located at a level above the corresponding end 38 of the outlet tube and above the water level 19. There is thus formed an air chamber 39 in which siphon inhibiting air will be trapped and an air gap formed with the tank in its filled condition. The aforesaid pipe 27 leads fromthe valve 22 to the interior of the chamber 39 at a point immediately over the adjacent upper end 38 of the outlet tube.

In operation, the movement of the handle 23 in one direction will, as aforesaid, actuate valve 22 to admit water through the pipe 27 to the center of the air chamber 39 and the admission of this water, which of course is driven directly down into the outlet tube 30 of the siphon, entrains a part of the air in the chamber 39, carrying the same downward in the form of bubbles as indicated in the drawing. This entrained air must, of course, escape and the aforesaid conical surface 34 is found to assist materially at low-static heads in this in that the air bubbles are directed or diverted outwardly and upwardly with the water, as indicated by the arrows in the water seal 14 in Fig. 2. The diversion of the air bubbles outward and upward overcomes any tendency-for them to rise through the siphon and thus having to be entrained for the second time, and I find by actual and repeated demonstration that the admission of less than a quart of Water to the chamber 39 will almost immediately evacuate sufiicient air therefrom so that the siphonic action is induced and the flushing water flows out through the water seal 14 and into the bowl. The time element varies with the static head of water and not to any degree with the amount thereof. .Obviously the smaller the chamber 39 the less water will be required for entrainment and ejection of the air and for this reason the closed upper end of the outlet tube 35 is curved annularly inward and downward, as designated at 40, and the center 41 is depressed so that the chamber 39 is almost toroidal in shape and its volume is correspondingly held to a minimum. Not only will the siphon as thus constructed and arranged operate with a quart of starting water or less, but I also find that the siphon will operate effectively on static heads of from approximately one foot up to two-hundred feet or any reasonable available maximum. The water seal 14 and its association with the outlet 32 of the siphon is also found to be extremely important in and unseat the ball 46. Also connected to the pipe 42,

; is dropping in the tank this siphonic action will normally the successful operation of thistype of siphon, and withp riding or halting the siphon action once it has been induced and for this purpose an air tube 42 is connectedto the high point 40 of the closed end of the siphon and thence leads toward the valve 22, whereat the pipe is provided with a cap 43, as best seen in Fig. 3. This cap 43 may be screwed at 44 .upon the pipe and has an opening 45 in which is, normally seated a check valve ball 46 urged to the seat by a spring 47. Preferably, although not necessarily, the ball 46 is of rubber or analogous material with the spring 47 embedded therein and in any case the ball serves to normally isolate the pipe 42 and, of course, the chamber 39 from the atmosphere. The shaft 48 of the handle 23 is, however, provided with a valve operating pin 49 located immediately adjacent the exposed surface of the ball 46. As usual there is sufficient play in the association of the handle 23 with the rotor of the valve 22 so that the handle may be turned backward a short distance without afiecting the valve. For. example, assuming in Figs. 2 and 3 that the handle and its shaft are turned in a counterclockwise direction in order to operate the valve 22 to set the siphon in action then the handle and shaft may be freely back-rotated in a clockwise direction the short distance necessary to cause the pin 49 to engage be brought to a halt when the water level falls below the bottom of the U-shaped end 51 of the tube 56 at which time air may reenter the chamber 39, as will be readily understood. At any time during the flushing cycle, however, an emergency stopping of the siphoning action may be brought about by the aforesaid back-rotation of the handle 23, which action unseats the check valve ball 46 so that air may enter the chamber 39 as will also be understood. The reverse or U-bend 51 is important in that it allows sulficient time for the siphonic action to completely break before the water, in refilling the tank, willreach the top of short arm of U-bend designated at 51.

.Any. conventional automatic anti-siphoning device such as that. shown at 60 in Figs. 2 and 4 may be used.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate a modification wherein the seal 14 is again formed at the upper rear part of the stool 10 but the latter is downwardly recessed at 52 to seat the bottom 21 of the tank 18. In this case also the center tube or outlet tube 53 of the siphon is cast as an integral part of the tank bottom 21 as clearly shown and the tank bottom and the adjacent upper part of the stool has an opening 54 for the discharge of the flushing water immediately into the trap. T he structure is otherwise the same as thatpreviously described and correspondingireference numerals areused for corresponding parts.

In Fig. 6 I illustrate a modification of the siphon tube itself which in this case is of inverted U-shape with an upright outlet leg 55 and spaced therefrom an inlet leg 56, the.two of which are connected by a bight portion 57 above the water level 19. The starting water supply pipe 27 is then connected to the outlet leg 55 onthe upright axis thereof immediately adjacent the water level 19 so as to entrain the airtrapped in the bight 57 and initiate the siphon action exactly as previously described. The siphon isbroken either automatically or emergency controlled by an air pipe42, as previously described, which leads to thecheck valve mechanism of Fig. 3 and by the vent pipe 50, as will be understood. Also in this case I show, as a modification, the connection of the outlet leg orpipe 55 to a separate form of water seal 58 for use where the trap may not be conveniently built into the stool itself. In all cases the valve 22 may be provided with a' small orifice (not here shown) to let a small stream of water into the tube 27, when the tank is being refilled through tube 28, in order to refill the trap in the stool if this is necessary. 7 i g It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications i come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. For flushing a water closet having a bowl and a tank containing a level of flushing water, means forming the last named means for admitting air to the upper end of the siphon structure to halt siphoning action.

2. In a water closet having a bowl, a tar k'for containiug a flushing level of water,'-a water supply pipe, and a valve mechanism connected to the pipe and including a manually operative handle for actuating the valve to sup ply water for initiating flushing action and a float also connected to the valve for actuating the same to refill the tank; the improvement which consists of a siphon tube connected between the tank and bowl and having an air gap normally trapping air inhibiting siphonic flushing outflow of the water in the tank, said valve mechanism having an outlet connected to the tube to deliver water thereto on actuation of the handle in one direction and for entraining and ejecting the air and thereby inducing a siphoning action, a check valve between the air gap and atmosphere, means operated on movement of the handle in another direction to force open the said check valve to. re-admit air to the chamber and halt the siphoning action, and a vent tube leading from the air gap to the lower pa of the tank. I

3. In a water closet having a bowl, a tank for containing a flushing level of water, a water supply pipe, and a valve mechanism connected to the pipe and including a manually operative handle for actuating the valve to supply water for initiating flushing action and a float also connected to the valve for actuating the same to refill the tank; the improvement which consists of a siphon tube connected between the tank and bowl and having an air gap normally trapping air inhibiting siphonic flushing out flow of the water in the tank, said valve mechanism hav ing an outlet connected to the tube to deliver water thereto on actuation of the handle in one direction and for entraining and ejecting the air and thereby inducing a siphoning action, a siphon halting means including an air tube connected to the air chamber and having a check valve, and means operated by the said handle on movement in another direction to open said check valve and admit air to the gap. 1

4. In a water closet having a bowl, a tank for containing a flushing level of water, a water supply pipe, and a valve mechanism connected to the pipe and including a manually operative handle for actuating the valve to supply water for initiating flushing action and a float also connected to the valve for actuating the same to refill the tank; the improvement which consists of a siphon tube connected between the tank and bowl and having an air chamber normally trapping air inhibiting siphonic flushing outflow of the water in the tank, said valve mechanism having an outlet connected to the tube to deliver water thereto on actuation of the handle in one direction and for entraining and ejecting the air and thereby induc} ing a siphoning action, a siphon halting means including an air tube connected to the air chamber and having 13. check valve, means operated by the said handle on move: ment in another direction to open said check valve and admit air to the chamber, and a vent tube leading from the air chamber downward to a point adjacent the botton't of the tank.

5. In a water closet having a bowl, a tank for containing a flushing level of water, a water supply pipe, and a valve mechanism connected to the pipe and including a manually operative handle for actuating the valve to supply water for initiating flushing action and a float also connected to the valve for actuating the same to refill the tank; the improvement which consists of a siphon tube connected between the tank and bowl and having an air chamber normally trapping air inhibiting siphonic flushing outflow of the water in the tank, said valve mechanism having an outlet connected to the tube to deliver water thereto on actuation of the handle in one direction and for entraining and ejecting the air and thereby inducing a siphoning action, a siphon halting means including an air tube connected to the air chamber and having a check valve, means operated by the said handle on movement in another direction to open said check valve and admit air to the chamber, and a vent tube leading from the air chamber downward to a point adjacent the bottom of the tank, said vent tube having a reverse upward bend at its lower end to provide a time interval for stopping the siphoning action.

6. Ina water closet having a bowl, a tank for containing a flushing level of water, a water supply pipe, and a valve mechanism connected to the pipe and including a manually operative handle for actuating the valve to supply water for initiating flushing action and a float also connected to the valve for actuating the same to refill the tank; the improvement which consists of a siphon tube connected between the tank and bowl and having an air gap normally trapping air inhibiting siphonic flushing outflow of the water in the tank, said valve mechanism having an outlet connected to the tube to deliver water thereto on actuation of the handle in one direction and for entraining and ejecting the air and thereby inducing a siphoning action, a check valve between the air gap and atmosphere, and means operated on movement of the handle in another direction to open said check valve to readmit air to the chamber and halt the siphoning action.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 481,710 Williams et a1 Aug. 30, 1892 589,423 Eberhart Sept. 7, 1897 1,185,474 Burke May 30, 1916 1,296,520 Hinsdale Mar. 4, 1919 1,443,215 Davisson Jan. 23, 1923 1,842,715 Collison Jan. 26, 1932 1,933,416 Collison Oct. 31, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,799 Great Britain 1905 5,825 Great Britain 1883 11,702 Great Britain Sept. 10, 1903 

